Product Training for the Technical Expert

18Certifying Proficiency: The Fundamentals of a Product Proficiency Certification Program

You have put a lot of effort into creating an effective training program. Now, you may need an official verification that an individual can use your product. You can do this with a certification program. Your need for a certification program may be customer driven, but often the need is driven by a desire to identify resellers or end users that are trained in how to perform specific functions with a product. Certification may exist to verify a number of skills. One may confirm that a person is able to specify or design, while another may declare one competent to install or merely use a product.

Because people change occupations much more frequently today than they did 40 years ago, certification is a popular way of putting the responsibility to educate users on the manufacturer of the product. Manufacturers offer proficiency certification programs to individuals who have completed certain requirements that demonstrate competency in a product or a proprietary solution or technology.

This chapter does not offer a legal definition of certification nor does it legally define the requirements. However, there are some general concepts that one should understand before creating a certification program. As with any program that is contractual or officially represents your company, get the advice of your corporate legal team. Another good resource is Judith Hale’s book on the subject, Performance‐Based ...